Bascule-bridge.



3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

JnI//LtO/"J PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903. J. W. PAGE.

BASGULE BRIDGE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED NOV. 13, 1902.

K0 MODEL.

PATENTED JUNE 1651903.

J. W. PAGE.

BASGULE' BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

J. W. PAGE.

BASCULE BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 u I llll 2:... A T! I N0 MODEL.

Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT @FFICE.

JOHN W. PAGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BASCVULE-BRIDGE.

$PECIFIGATION forming part Of Letters Patent N 0. 731,322, dated June16, 1903. l Application filed November 18, 1902. Serial No. 131,080. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. PAGE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBascule-Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inbascule-bridges, the object being to provide a bridge in which theswinging span may be readily raised or lowered without the aid ofpowerful machinery, such as is ordinarily used to operate heavy bridgesof this class.

To such end the invention consists in providing the bridge with avertically-movable approach, partially or wholly supported by the mainspan and adapted to assist in coun- 'terbalancing the latter.

The invention relates. also-to mechanism for operating bridges of thisclass and to certain other minor details of construction, a descriptionof which will be found in the following specification, and the essentialfeatures definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings furnished herewith, Figure 1 is a side view of thebridge in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is aview, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, ofthe bridge in its raised position, the line of section being indicatedat 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a transverse vertical "section in line 4. 4of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section in line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig.6 is a detail vertical cross-section taken in the broken line 6 6 ofFig. 1, showinga certain roller and track. Fig. 7 is a detail plan ofcertain portions with parts broken out and illustrating the operatingdevices for raising and lowering the bridge. Fig. 8 is a detail verticallongitudinal section taken in the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detailvertical section in the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is adetail-horizontal section in the line 10 10 of Fig.8, and Fig. 11 is aperspective view of a nut or cross-head.

In the views, A A represent two piers or abutments upon which the bridgeis supported. The abutment A may, if necessary, be placed in the streamof water, thereby allowing the current to flow uninterrupted between thepiers A A. Uponsaid piers are supported caps or journal-plates a a,which are connected bylongitudinal stringersa a ,thereby maintaining afixed relationship between the two pivots in the journal-plates. Uponthese journal-plates are pivoted the oscillating leaf or approach B andmain swinging span 0, respectively, both of which are capable of asuitable amount of oscillation I upon said pivots with respect to eachother. The main span 0 is preferably composed of two side girders orstringers c o, suitably trussed and braced and connected by a roadway 0and other suitable connecting and sup porting members 0 The oscillatingleaf or approach is also made up of suitable girders or stringers b b bb, the girders being arranged in pairs, as shown, and on either side ofthe adjacent girder or stringer c c of the main span. The girders b bare also connected by a road way I) and suitable supporting members 5Between each pair of the girders is journaled a roller 5 which rests andruns upon a suitable track on the main span. This track 7 is so shapedand positioned that the weight of the leaf tends to draw the main spanup- I ward with a continually decreasing purchase until the main spanreaches the point of equilibrium upon its pivot, at which point theweight of the leaf is sustained directly in line with the pivot of thespan. Further upward or backward movement is resisted by the weight ofthe leaf. Thus the upward movement of the main span to the point ofequilibrium lowers the leaf and movement beyond the point of equilibriumraises the leaf.

It will be noticed that in this construction the oscillating leaf ismade up of plate-girders and heavy materials, while the main span iscomposed of open trusswork, and for this reason the angle of fall of theoscillating leaf is little over one-half the angle of movement of themain span. The upper end of the track 0 is carried around' the roller 5and 5 forms a stop limiting the downward movement of the main span. Thelower end of the track is also so shaped as to stop the upward movementof the main span.

Between each pair of girders is a shaft Z2 rco journaled in suitablebearings and having upon one end a beveled gear I), in mesh with withsuitable straps g, encircling a similar gear I) upon a shaft which isdriven by a suitable motor b The other end of the shaft 11 bears aspur-gear b, in mesh with a similar spur-gear d, fast upon the end of ascrew D, This screw is journaled in suitable bearings d d (see Figs. 7and 8,) the bearing d being secured upon the girders and the bearing dbeing supported by a bracket (i which is carried by a web (1 extendingbetween the girders. A nut or cross-head E is threaded upon the screwand has projecting wings or shoes 6, (see Fig. 11,) traveling in guidesF, secured upon the adjacent faces of the girders. The cross-heads areconnected to the girders of the main span by operating-struts G, thestruts being pivoted to the main span by means of pivots g and providedpivot-pins 6 upon the cross-heads.

It will be understood that by rotating the screw D in the nut E in onedirection it will draw the operating-rod toward the rear end of theoscillating leaf and raise the main span of the bridge and by rotatingit in the opposite direction will lower said span. Inasmuch as thisscrew is of considerable length, I have provided a strut e slidable uponsaid screw and guided in the guides F and connected to blocks 6 by apair of rods e which pass through suitable openings in the wings orshoeseof the cross-head. (See Fig. 10.) It will be understood that asthe screw is rotated to raise the bridge the cross-head will move towardthe strut 8 until it strikes the same and then force the same along tothe end of its movement. The cross-head in returning to its originalposition strikes the blocks 6 when about half-way back and returns thestrut e to its original position. Thus it will be seen that the screw isnormally supported midway tails of construction are possible, and I donot desire to limit myself to their specific construction.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Thecombination with a vertically-oscillating bridge provided with suitabletracks, of a vertically-oscillating leaf, suitable rollers thereonbearing on the tracks of said bridge, whereby the weight of the free endof said leaf is supported by said bridge, and said leaf acts as the maincounterweight of said bridge, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a vertically-oscillating bridge, of avertically-oscillating leaf forming a continuation thereof and havingits free ends supported by said bridge, and means for forcibly drawingtogether the shore end of said leaf and a point on said bridge beyondits pivot, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Verticallyoscillating bridge and a vertically-oscillating leaf forming acontinuation thereof, of an operatingstrut connected to said bridgebeyond its pivotal point at one end, and connected at the other end to asuitable screw rotatably secured in said leaf, and means for rotatingsaid screw to forcibly draw together the pivoted end of the leaf and thepointof attachment of said strut to said bridge to raise said bridge,substantially as described.

4. The combination with a vertically-oscillating bridge, of avertically-oscillating leaf pivotedadjacentthereto,andformingacontinnation of said oscillating bridge, anoperatingstrut connected to said bridge at one end and at the other toacross-head threaded on a suitable screw rotatably secured in said leaf,said screw being provided with a suitable pinion, a second pinion inengagement with said first pinion, and means for rotating said secondpinion, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a vertically-oscillating bridge, and avertically-oscillating leaf forming a continuation thereof, of twooperating-struts each secured at one end to said bridge on oppositesides thereof and each socured at the other end to suitable cross-headsthreaded on screws rotatably mounted upon said leaf, a pinion secured toeach of said screws, shafts in engagement with said pin ions, and asecond shaft extending across said bridge and in engagement with bothsaid shafts, and adapted to simultaneously rotate the same,substantially as described.

6. The combination with a bridge and a vertically-oscillating leaf, ofan operating-strut connected at one end to said bridge and at the otherthreaded upon the rotatable screw extending through a suitable channelin said leaf, of astrutsurrounding said screw at substantially itsmedial point, and adapted to prevent the same from sagging,substantially as described.

7. The combination with a vertically-oscillating bridge, and avertically-oscillating leaf forming a continuation thereof, of anoperating-strut pivoted at one end to said bridge, a cross-head securedto said strut, a screw rotatably secured in said leaf and threaded insaid cross head, a strut surrounding said screw and adapted to preventthe same from sagging, and suitable means for limiting the distance ofsaid strut and said cross-head, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a vertically-oscillating bridge and avertically-oscillating leaf forming a continuation thereof, of anoperating-strut pivoted at one end to saidbridge, a cross-head securedto said strut, a screw rotatably secured in said leaf and threaded insaid cross head, a strut surrounding said screw, and adapted to preventthe same from sagging, and a suitable rod sliding in said ICC strut andcross-head and adapted to limit the distance between said strut andcross-head, substantially as described.

9. .In a bridge, the combination with a vertically-oscillatingbridge-span and a vertically-oscillating leaf forming a continuation ofthe span when in line therewith, of a movable connection between thetwo, so arranged that the oscillating leaf assists in counterbalancingthe weight of the span in certain positions, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a vertically-oscillating bridge-span, thecenter of gravity of which swings from one side to the other of itspoint of support, of a vertically-oscillating leaf forming acontinuation of the bridgespan when the latter is down, and suitableconnections between the leaf and the span,

whereby the leaf assists in counterbalancing the bridge in one directionwhen the bridge is down and in the opposite direction when the bridge isup, substantially as described.

11. In a bridge, the combination with avertically-oscillatingbridge-span and a verti-

